Collapsible pole assembly



Dec. 5, 1961 M. H. CROWDER COLLAPSIBLE POLE ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 12, 1959 hVEZl UP MAP THAI H CIQOWDEQ fizz/ a away United States Patent 3,011,810 COLLAPSIBLE POLE ASSEMBLY Martha H. Crowder, 75 W. Van Buren St., Chicago, Ill. Filed Jan. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 786,270 2 Claims. (Cl. 287-58) The present invention relates broadly to collapsible pole assemblies, and is more particularly concerned with a flag and fiagstaff therefor which may be readily adjusted as to length to permit its use in parades and other functions by persons of different heights.

The conventional wooden fiagstafi is supplied in varying fixed lengths, depending principally upon the height of the flag bearer. Specifically, a live or six foot staff is provided for use by youth organizations such as cub scouts or boy scouts, while for parade use by grown persons the fixed length staff is furnished in seven, eight or nine foot sizes. This requires a substantial inventory in the hands of the supplier, and organizations sponsoring both youth and adult activities are required to procure fiagstafis in at least two lengths. In addition, there are obvious manufacturing cost advantages in producing fiag stalls in only a single length.

It is accordingly a primary aim of the present invention to provide a flag assembly wherein the fiagstafi portion may be readily adjusted as to length to permit use of the assembly by persons of different heights.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of a collapsible or telescopic flagstait preferably constructed of lightweight tubular members and featuring ease of adjustability as to the length thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flag assembly featuring a collapsible flagstafi and novel means for removably attaching the flag to one of the tubular flagstaff members.

A further object of the present invention lies in the provision of a collapsible flagstaif comprising at least two tubular members of standard stock material one received inside the other and which may be fixed at a predetermined length by merely the application of a. turning force to said members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description, particularly when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

'In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a flag assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the upper end of the flagstaif, with parts removed and parts in section, to illustrate novel means for removably attaching the flag to the fiagstafi;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line lII--III of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view of portions of the flagstafi tubular sections, showing the means herein provided to control the adjustability of the length of one tubular member relative to the other;

' FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line VV of FIGURE 4; and

- FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the base of the flagstaff and taken substantially along the line VI-VI of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a flag assembly A comprising a flagstafi designated generally by the numeral 10 and removably mounting thereon a flag, pennant, banner or the like 11.

' The flagstafi 10 in the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown is formed of two tubular sections 12 and 13 of difierent inner and outer diameters, although it is to 3,011,810 Patented Dec. 5 1961 ICC be appreciated that more than a pair of tubular sections may be provided. The tubular sections are formed of standard aluminum, stainless steel or like stock materials to thereby provide a relatively light weight structure which may be fabricated at substantial manufacturing economies.

The upper end of the relatively lesser diameter tubular member 12 is internally threaded to receive therein a cap member 14 having threaded shanks 1S and 16 at opposite ends thereof. Received upon the threaded shank 15 of the cap member is an ornamental element 17 which may be of the general spiral shape shown, or which may be a cone, eagle, cross or the like. It is to be seen from FIGURE 2 that the cap member 14 has a generally cylindrical body portion !17 which abuts against the upper end of the tubular section 12, as indicated at 18, and that the outer diameter of the cap body portion 17 is essentially the same as the inner diameter of the upper tubular section 12.

Threaded into the cap body portion 17 is pin means 19 (FIGURE 1) supporting a decorative tassle 29, although of course award pennants or other items could be mounted by the pin means 19. At a diametrally opposed location or other desired position upon the cap body portion 17 is novel means for assuring that the flag 11 will not slide downwardly upon the fiagstafi' 10 during use.

Referring again to FIGURE 2, the flag retaining means is preferably in the form of a relatively flat, triangular in plan tab 21 maintained in position upon the cap member 14 by screw means or the like 22, the tab having an open triangular end portion 23 which is threaded, stapled or otherwise secured to hem portion 24 of the flag 11. It is to be noted that the hem portion 24 is formed into a generally circular loop which surrounds the upper tubular member 12, and that the main body portion of the flag 11 is received in the hem portion and stitched thereto, as at 25 in FIGURE 3. It is to be further seen that when the flag 11 is mounted upon the flagstali 10 in the manner of FIGURE 1, the tab means 21 is obscured by the hem portion 24 of said flag, although this is of course not required. Accordingly, the flag is not only firmly secured against displacement along the fiagstatf, and by simply removing the screw means 22 the flag may be readily removed from the flagstaff 10, but at the same time there is no interference with the pleasing decorative appearance of the flag assembly A.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the opposite end of the extensible flagstati 10 is normally closed by a cap or plug member 26 threaclably received in the relatively larger diameter tubular member 13. A friction fit could of course also be used. The cap member 26 is provided for this purpose with a threaded stud portion 27, and when the cap member is fully threaded into the tubular member 13, the parts are in flush abutting contact along a line designated by the numeral 28. It is to be further seen that the plug member 26 and tubular member 13 have essentially corresponding inner and outer diameters. For ease of handling by the flag bearer, as well as to facilitate its positioning in a flagstand, the cap member 26 is machined or otherwise formed with a generally flat bottom 28 connecting with rounded corners 29.

The mechanism for effectively tightening or locking the tubular members 12 and 13 relative to one another after collapsing or extending said members to the desired length is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 to which reference is now made. The locking mechanism, designated generally by the numeral 30, comprises a generally cylindrical plug member 31 tightly received in the lower end of the tubular member 12 and having a tapered or conical end portion 32 extending outwardly from the tubular member 12. Received in the apex of the conical portion 32 in alignment with the axis of the plug member 31 is a bolt 33, while located in threadable surrounding relation to the bolt means 33 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced quadrant members 34 having finely knurled outer surfaces 35 for radially outwardly pressing engagement with the inner diameter of the tubular member 13. It is to be seen from FIGURES 4 and 5 that each quadrant 34 is essentially arcuate when viewed in top plan, and when viewed in section as in FIGURE 4, each quadrant displays a semi-conical inner surface 36 and an essentially straight outer surface 35 conforming generally to the inner diameter of the tubular member 13. Accordingly, when considered with reference to the conical portion 32 of the plug member 31 and the inner diameter of the tubular member 13, the quadrants 34 are in the nature of threaded wedge members.

The view of FIGURE 4 shows the mechanism 30 eifectively locking the tubular members 12 and 13 relative to one another. A firm rigid engagement of the parts, capable of resisting armans weight without collapsing of the tubular members 12 and 13, is thus elfected by a tight bearing engagement of the quadrant members 34 against both the conical plug portion 32 and inner diameter of the tubular member 13. To release this engagement, the tubular members 12 and 13 are rotated in one direction relative to each other which causes each quadrant member 34 to be threaded toward the head of the bolt means 33, which effects a loose connection of the quadrant members with reference to the plug conical portion 32 and a similar free connection of the outer surfaces 34 of the quadrants with reference to the inner Walls of the tubular member 13.. It is thus to be seen that the quadrant members are so dimensioned that a rigid connection or pressing contact of their outer surfaces 35 with the tubular member inner diameter is effected only when the quadrant members are threaded inwardly upon the bolt means a predetermined distance. Accordingly, to rigidly associate the tubular members 12 and 13 after the fiagstafi has been extended or retracted to the desired length, the tubular members 12 and 13 are rotated relative to one another in the opposite direction to cause the quadrants 34 to be threaded inwardly upon the bolt means 33 until a rigid or tight fit is accomplished between theinner surfaces 36 of the quadrants and the plug conical portion 32, at which time the knurled outer surfaces 35 of the wedge quadrants 34 press radially outwardly against the inner wall or inner diameter of the tubular section 13. Experience has clearly demonstrated that the rigid connection can readily be established with little muscular exertion, and of course, without the use of any tools.

During extension of the flagstaff 10 to its maximum length with the locking mechanism 30 deactivated, it is possible that the tubular sections 12 and 13 would become disassociated and this is prevented by means limiting the extensibility of said sections. The means provided for this purpose comprises an annular groove 37 formed in the inner diameter of the tubular section 13 inwardly of the upper end thereof, and resiliently urged pin means 38 radially movable in a bore 39 formed in the plug member 13 in the manner shown in FIGURE 4. It is to be noted that the annular groove 37 has an inclined downstream portion 40 to assure a more smooth locking of the tubular sections 12 and 13, and that the pin means 38 normally extends through an aperture 41 in the tubular section 12. The pin means is normally urged outwardly in the radial bore 39 by spring means 42. The locking mechanism 30 is of course disengaged during extension of the fiagstalf 10, as well as during the contraction thereof, and it is to be seen that when the ilagstaff is lengthened the maximum distance the pin means 38 slides down the inclined shoulder 40 of the groove '37 and into said groove, being limited or restrained against movement in the opposite direction by a relatively straight shoulder 43 at the end of the groove 37 opposite the inclined portion 40 thereof.

To provide the flag bearer with an indication as to the particular length to which the flagstatf 10 has been extended, thereby assuring that the fiagstafis of persons in a parade are all extended the same distance, the upper tubular section 12 may have applied thereto indicia 44 which may take the form of a line with a numeral thereabove indicating the total length of the flagstafi when extended to a particular distance. The line would then be aligned with the upper end of the lower tubular section 13, and of course, other means may be utilized to indicate the length to which the flagstafi 10 has been extended.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that applicant has provided a new and improved flag assembly having wide utility by persons of dilferent heights, and which may be extended to a particular length with little muscular exertion, Flagstaifs of either metal or wooden construction which could be increased in length by the addition of threaded sections are of course known in the art; however, to provide a flagstaif of a particular length required substantial time and gave rise to storage problems and the likelihood that one or more of the insertable sections would be lost. The flag assembly of this invention, on the other hand, is a compact unit of parts which may remain associated with one another during storage, and during periods of non-use, the flag assembly may be encased in a cover which fits all such flagstaifs when collapsed. Accordingly, in addition to the structure of this invention, reducing the earlier'requirement that flagstafis of difierent lengths'be provided for youth and adult organizations, there is now only a need to stock a single flag case or cover. In addition, by provision of the novel tab arrangement for fixing the position of the ilag relative to the staff, mounting and removal of the flag from the staff is considerably facilitated.

It is to be further appreciated that various modifications may be effected in the structure herein disclosed without departing from the novel concepts of the present invention. In addition, the principles herein disclosed may readily be applied to fishpoles, oars, paddles, tripods, tree trim tools, light bulb changing tools, an other handle devices of known types.

I claim as my invention:

1. A collapsible pole assembly which comprises: an essentially hollow base section and at least one generally cylindrical member slidable therein and having a hollow portion at one end normally surrounded by said base section; and a locking mechanism effective upon relative rotation of the base section and cylindrical member in one direction to prevent slidable movement thereof, said mechanism including'a generally cylindrical plug member tightly received in one end of said hollow portion and having a conical end portion providing a camming surface extending outwardly from said one end of the. hollow portion, a plurality of internally threaded and outwardly knurled wedge members frictionally engageable entirely along their outer surfaces with the inner diameter of the base section when the base section and cylindrical member are locked one to the other and bearing entirely along their inner surfaces tightly against said conical 'end portion of said plug member when the base section and cylindrical member are locked, and bolt means threadably engageablewith each of said wedge members and terminating in said plug member in fixed relation thereto, the base section and cylindrical member upon relative rotation in one direction being efiective to threadably move the wedge'members in one axial direction to release the base section and cylindrical member from locked relation and whenrotated in an opposite direction to threadably move the wedge members in an opposite axial direction to lock the base section and cylindrioal member one to the other.

2. A collapsible pole assembly comprising inner and outer tubular members arranged in telescoping relation, a generally cylindrical plug member tightly received in one end of said inner tubular member and having a conical end portion providing a camming surface extending outwardly :from said one end of the inner tubular member, a plurality of internally threaded and outwardly knurled wedge members frictionally engageable entirely along their outer surfaces with the inner diameter of the outer tubular member when the tubular members are locked one to the other and bearing entirely along their inner surfaces tightly against said conical end portion of said plug member when the tubular members are locked, bolt means threadably engageable with each of said wedge members and terminating in said plug member in fixed relation thereto, the tubular members upon relative rotation in one direction being efieotive to threadably move the wedge members in one axial direction to release the tubular members from locked relation and when rotated in an opposite direction to threadably move the wedge members in an opposite axial direction to lock the tubular members one to the other, said plug member having a radially extending blind hole therein axially spaced from the conical end portion thereof, said inner tubular member having an aperture therein for alignment with said blind hole and said outer tubular member being provided with an annular groove on the inner diameter thereof to mate with said blind hole and said aperture, pin means in said blind hole, and spring means backing said pin means and received in said blind hole, said pin means moving radially outwardly into said annular groove when said tubular members are extended to prevent separation of said tubular members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,396,787 Shepard Nov. 15, 1921 1,631,567 Walton June 7, 1927 1,741,969 Bellows Dec. 31, 1929 1,859,223 Stevenson May 17, 1932 1,970,624 Recker Aug. 21, 1934 2,367,196 Butler Jan. 16, 1945 2,456,205 Magder Dec. 14, 1948 2,490,369 Neuwirth Dec. 6, 1949 2,508,039 Neuwirth May 16, 1950 2,873,129 Edmundson Feb. 10, 1959 

